Friday, August 31, 2012

Evening classes provide the
opportunity for working adults to pursue college. The hours are great, but they
don’t lend themselves to students necessarily feeling a part of the college
campus life. Brenda Buffington is working to change that at Volunteer State
Community College. She is the new Director of Evening Services.

“I’m the liaison between evening
students and the campus during the day,” said Buffington. “It’s an evolving
department, which I love because I have a pioneering spirit.”

The college has offered evening
services for years. The stepped up effort recognizes the importance of evening
students to the college.

“Whatever students might do in the
Business Office, Advising, Admissions and Financial Aid we can take care of
that for them in the evening,” she said.

Online courses and evening classes
have made it easier for students to pursue college dreams and it’s a wide variety
of students taking part. “We see working students, stay at home moms, middle
age, elderly, young; we run the gamut,” Buffington said.

Prospective students can also get
advice and see an advisor in the evening. The Student Services offices are
located on the Vol State Gallatin campus at 1480 Nashville Pike in the Wood
Campus Center room 217. Evening Services are available Monday through Thursday
from 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. and until 5:30 p.m. on Fridays. Buffington has also
started a blog for Vol State Evening Services. It can be found at www.volstate.edu/studentservices

Update: This event happens rain or shine...it will start in the Pickel Field House.Vol State, in cooperation with the
Sumner County Health Department, will officially kick off the 2012 Walk
Across Sumner Event. It’s Saturday September 8th.
The place is the Vol State Gallatin Campus between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m..
There will be a children’s obstacle course, a walking route, inflatables,
music, exercise fitness classes and more. Participants will be encouraged to
walk 34 and a half miles, the distance across Sumner County, during a four-week
period. This fundraiser will benefit elementary physical education
programs across the county. You can walk on greenways in your
neighborhood, or at walking trails and parks throughout the county. For
more information, visit www.sumnertn.org

Thursday, August 30, 2012

﻿It has been a long time since the students of Volunteer State Community College have had a true place to just hang out and socialize in a space they can call their own. A remodel has turned the cafeteria into the Cyber Café, a place thought up and paid for by the student body.

“I’ve never been in a place that has TVs, computers, and a place where I can eat… this is nice,” said Alex Marzette.

Members of the Student Government Association formed a committee to become a “think tank” to help the Vol State Facilities Committee.

“SGA got involved because the project needed money, and it was great for the students,” said Joe Kaiga, chair of the Cyber Café committee.

“Every time we met, we would think of ideas to improve the cafeteria, like hey what if we got TVs in there, more outlets, we need paint, lighting, etc," said Kaiga. “The Facilities Committee was willing to change things, and I had to learn the process of filling out the forms and asking for stuff,” said Kaiga.

“I think that it is going to be a good gathering place for students. Our students have not in many, many years had a gathering place,” said Vice President Patty Powell.

“It feels like a hangout spot and I don’t have to be quiet," said Kristen Tabor.

“I like to come in here and people watch,” said Angel Jett.

As students arrive on campus for the new semester and check out the café, they are already making suggestions for changes they would like to see made to the café.﻿

Cyber Cafe

“It would be nice to have printers, but I’ve never been in a stressful situation where I needed one right away,” said Zoey Stretcher.

“If there was a different color in here, I would feel more comfortable,” said Jett.

“There are different ideas and we're still in the planning process of painting," said Kaiga. “Personally, I like the idea of showcasing artwork, so it can change it out every week.”

According to Kaiga, the Cyber Caféis an on going process that students should always be willing to make improvements to.

The café should be expecting some possible painting, artwork, new lighting, and installation of cable to the flat screen televisions in the near future.

The new Cyber Café is located in the cafeteria at the Wood Campus Center, next to the Vol State Grill.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Coming back to school is exciting. But sometimes students bite off more than they can chew and become overwhelmed from taking too many classes or there may be a family emergency. In any case, life sometimes gets in the way. If that happens a class may need to be dropped.﻿

Drop/Add/Withdrawal Form

Some students are unaware of how to properly withdraw from a class.

“I’ve only been told to speak with my adviser, but I’ve never dropped. Usually when I pick a class I stick with it”, said Johanna Gutierrez.

Speaking with an adviser should be after you have first spoken to the instructor. Sometimes they can give you tips on how to survive the class if you are struggling.

“Students certainly shouldn’t give up if they are struggling a little bit at some point during the class,” said the Director of the Advising Center, Terry Bubb.

After speaking with the instructor and/or seeking tutoring and advising, the student may still want to drop the class. After the 8th day of class, a signature is required from the instructor and the dean of the department through an add/drop form.

Owing the government is not in the best interest for any college student. So, if a student is receiving financial aid, they will need to speak with the Financial Aid office before dropping a class or withdrawing from school. Dropping a class may have a big impact on your financial aid.

If a student needs to withdraw from the college altogether, they need to speak with a counselor in the Advising Center.

“We know that life gets in the way sometimes...but we encourage them that they can come back and be in good standing,” said Bubb.

Some students believe if they just stop coming to class then the instructor knows that they have dropped. That is not true. An instructor will give you an F as your final grade. It’s always better to have a “W” on your college transcript rather than an “F”. So, make sure to officially drop any class you are unable to complete.

You can find the Advising Center in Ramer room 174 or you can call them at 615-230-3702.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Vol State is surrounded by a few choice food places, but there is only one choice actually on campus and that's the Vol State Grill, run by First Choice Foods. This year caffeine fans and Asian food lovers will have something to cheer about. This fall semester the Grill will introduce a barista, serving iced coffees, frappes, lattes and smoothies made with real fruit. The grill is also introducing “A Taste of Asian,” where individuals will be able to pick their choice of veggies, sauces, rice and noodles from the bar and then have it grilled up with meat of their liking.

“We have one of the biggest salad bars in Gallatin, said Paul Fields. There is also a hot bar where most of the food is made from scratch, including the soups.

If you're ready for dessert, soft serve ice cream is also available. Feel free to mix things up with candy toppings including Oreos, Butterfingers, and Heath Toffee Bars.

The grill is open Monday through Friday, offering breakfast and lunch. If you think you are familiar with the Grill, there have been a few changes to its appearance. The chalk board has been replaced by a digital board showcasing the menu and new signs have been added.

First Choice Foods also runs the vending machines. They are working on a Facebook page as well as an online menu that should be posted soon. If you don’t want to wait for your food to cook, place an order in advance via email or text to vscc.grill@volstate.edu. You can also place an order ahead of time and let them know what time you plan to pick it up.

The start of a new semester can be exciting as you get into
new classes. However, as we all know it can get tough as the weeks go on and
the work piles up. Here are five tips to help you have a successful semester.

1. Go to class. We know, this seems pretty obvious. But you'd be
surprised how many students get behind after missing just a class or two.

2. Talk to your instructor if you're having problems. This also seems obvious,
but some students are worried about discussing problems they are having
understanding the class material. Talk to your instructor before you get
frustrated and lost.

3. Take part in Supplemental Instruction (SI) if it’s
offered in a course. Your instructor will let you know. SI is like a study
group on steroids. Students who participate usually increase their grade by up
to a letter.

4. If a class doesn’t have SI consider forming your own study group. Working
with other students outside of class can really help.

5. Get extra help. We have several free labs and services to help you with
study, homework, assignments, papers and research. Visit the College Success
Zone website for details: www.volstate.edu/collegesuccess

The President's
Ambassadors represent the college at many events, including the President's
Picnic, held this weekend to welcome new students. Ambassador Mandie Coons
shares her experience:

The President's Picnic was a blast! It was great to see the
new students along with some of the current students and faculty and staff all
together to enjoy that fun day of music, food, campus tours, face painting and
so much more! I have been enrolled at Vol State for 3 years and this was
actually my first year to attend the President's Picnic. I didn't have any idea
that it was as big of an event as it actually is and I never expected to see
the amount of people that were actually there.

I had a great time getting to interact with the students,
faculty, staff, and other ambassadors. I gave a few tours, helped some of the
food vendors when it was time for lunch, and enjoyed some of the live music and
snow cones that were offered.

This was a good event for the students to attend but also
the families of the students. I had several parents tell me that they had no
idea a college could be so friendly and helpful when it came to their child's
higher education. I was thrilled when some of the individuals asked me what my
"title" was. This was the first time that I got to showcase the
Ambassador program. I was so excited to explain what a President's Ambassador
was and I had a few students who even seemed interested in the program for
themselves in the future. I really enjoyed my time working the President's
Picnic and I will definitely encourage students to attend them in the future!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Welcome students! We have some important dates for you to keep in mind.

FALL TERM DATESFull Term August 25 -
December 14Weekend College/College @ Home August 25 - December 1410 Week
September 4 - November 161st 5 Week August 25 - Sept. 282nd 5 Week Sept.
29 - November 71st 7 Week August 25 - October 122nd 7 Week October 18 -
December 14RODP August 25 - December 13Hybrid August 25 - December
14Online August 25 - December 14RODP 7 Week August 25 - October
19

REGISTRATION DEADLINESSession
Drop/AddFull Term August 25- August 2910 Week September 4 -
September 51st 5 Week August 25 - August 282nd 5 Week Sept. 29 - October
21st 7 Week August 25 - August 282nd 7 Week October 18 - October
19RODP August 25- August 29RODP 7 Week Up to August
24

FEE PAYMENT DEADLINES:Fees are now due at time of Registration
WITHDRAWAL DEADLINESLast day
to withdraw from college or drop a class

Full Term November 210 Week
October 191st 5 Week September 172nd 5 Week October 251st 7 Week
September 262nd 7 Week November 19RODP November 2RODP 7 Week
September 7

Thursday, August 23, 2012

As a child, you had parents who went out and bought school supplies that were listed from the school and grade you attended. Your parents would make sure all the items were in your bag and ready for the first day of school. Before the first day, your parents would tell you to get a good night’s rest and in the morning eat a hearty meal to stay focused in class. Your parents probably walked you to class the first day and ensured the teacher received all the supplies on the list.

Now that you’re in college, the days of mommy holding your hand is over. There is no supply list and the instructor has not met your parents to tell them what’s required. So how does one prepare for class?﻿

Tiffany Shrum

“I get my books early to know what to expect. Once you get the books, take a look at the pretest to prepare for the test… Oh and have flashcards,” said Tiffany Shrum a freshman, who has taking classes at Vol State as a dual enrollment student.

Having books for class seems like a no brainer, but when you are in a hurry, books for a specific class may be the last thing on your mind.

“I put my books in the car before bed, so I don’t forget,” Caitlynn McClister said.

Boyd Kernodle, a graduate of Vol State was spotted on campus and he had this advice.

“Make sure to have a SD card or flash drive, they come in handy for a lot of classes. I’ve had four semesters on one drive.”

It also may sound obvious, but make sure you know where you're going.

“I know the building, but I don’t know the room the class is located,” said Michael Hodges.

Finding the room before class starts is an essential part of being prepared. It allows you to be on time and also map out the direction for the next class. If you have one class after another, remember that there is only a 10 minute break in between, which is not a lot of time when you have classes on opposite sides of campus from each other.﻿﻿

Vol State Bookstore

﻿﻿﻿Mom may not be there to tell you to go to bed and you may not need as much rest as you did as a youngster, but getting plenty of rest helps you prepare for the day ahead.

“I go to bed at 12 and get up at 5:30," said Shrum. I try to do everything before I go and make sure I have everything,”

If you can run on 5 hours of sleep, more power to you. It seems that everyone prepares for class differently and each class requires something different. Individuals need to find what works best for them. However, everyone I spoke with agreed that having books and knowing where to go is half the battle of being prepared. Oh.., paper and pen will come in handy as well.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿Parking on the main campus can be a hassle, especially the first few weeks of fall semester when new and returning students battle for a good, close spot. Some of those close spots that students are accustomed to parking in will be unavailable in the fall.

﻿﻿ ﻿ ﻿ ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ ﻿﻿

Behind Wood Campus Center

Here's one example- the parking lot behind the Wood Campus Center has been repainted for staff parking only!

Several parking lots have been repainted to better identify parking spaces. New students, just in case you are unable to see the word STAFF painted in the spot, please be aware that white stripes are for staff parking and yellow for students.﻿﻿﻿﻿ ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ ﻿ ﻿﻿

New parking lot

The construction for the new Allied Health Building will begin soon. The exact date has not been set yet. That means the parking lot between the Mattox building and Wallace building will be closed. “That sucks!” says Jamie Buchert. “I usually park in the Mattox parking lot because most of my classes are in the Mattox and Warf buildings.”

﻿ ﻿

﻿The good news is that there is a new parking lot opening this semester. You may have missed this parking lot, because it’s waaay in the back of the Wallace building… near the back entrance and behind the community garden.
﻿

Terrika Jackson

﻿In order to park on campus, all students and staff need parking decals. Make sure to pick up your parking decal from the Student Life and Diversity Office in room 215 of the Wood Campus Center. I met Terrika Jackson after she had picked up her parking decal. She's now set to park on campus. Without a decal you may find yourself with a $25 parking ticket. Three parking violations can result to your car being towed and/or privileges to park on campus can be revoked.﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿

Avoid fines by parking in the correct spot. Do not park in visitors parking!!! Parking in visitors parking can lead to two (2) fines for students without a parking decal. (1. No decal, 2. parking in visitor parking.)

On the plus side, students are allowed to park in staff parking spaces after 5:00 p.m on weekdays and all day during the weekends without fear of a fine. Word to the wise... "The early bird gets the worm" The earlier you arrive on campus before that 8:00 a.m class, the better parking spot you will get.

For a view of campus buildings and parking lots please see the campus map.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

If you have been on the main campus during the summer semester, you are well aware of the construction that is taking place. However, you may be unaware of the specific reasons.

If you have ever been inside the Warf building, you have realized there were cooling and heating problems.

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿Kaitlin Strine, a current student whose Spring Anatomy class was in the Warf building stated, "We were freezing when the door was shut but burning up when the door was open."

Warf construction

﻿Brook Cline also had classes in Warf. "It was always hot or cold, never comfortable," said Cline.﻿﻿﻿﻿

These issues are being resolved as new heating and air conditioning systems are being installed. ﻿﻿

Parking Behind Ramer

The area around Ramer, Wood, and Caudill will have new sidewalks and landscaping.

Numerous exterior improvements are taking place throughout the campus to coincide with ADA, making access easier for individuals with disabilities.

﻿I ran across a veteran who is returning to school this fall semester, as a new student with disabilities, he found the construction, "Most inconvenient, doors to the campus are not handicap accessible" said Dan Willard.

Those disabled entrances should be back open soon.

When speaking with new students on campus, they seem to have no real concerns with the developments taking place.

﻿﻿"Upgrade!" said Ryan Mlckovsky.

Ramer Great Hall

New students like Allison Huffaker, who sought help maneuvering from building to building, said she had no troubles. While Jenna Riplinger, who relied on a map, found getting around difficult when an exit door was shut off. "They make it inconvenient to get from building to building," said Riplinger.

﻿﻿Returning students who know the campus well were a little turned off with the developments. Brooke Cline said "I am used to walking a certain way. Now I have to take a new direction."

Sometimes in life it's good to seek a new direction, it can lead you toward a path of progress.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Student, photographer, graphic designer, single mother of two, and now the new social media writer for the blog at Volunteer State Community College- I am Margaret Blakemore, you can call me Maggie. Last year, I decided to return to school for my second associate’s degree. My first degree is in Digital Commercial Photography, now I’m studying Mass Communication. Since being in school the past year I have gained a new look on life, mainly due to my international travels that I was able to do through the TnCIS program in conjunction with the Vol State International Education Program.I took the Intro to New Media Class with the Great European Capital Program where we traveled to Paris, Brussels, and then Amsterdam.

﻿﻿

During a visit to the American Embassy, I learned about becoming a Foreign Service Officer for the United States; something I never considered until hearing our speaker, a Service Officer, who had a background in communications. Visiting a Parisian design company, I learned how they operate and handle clients as well as their design process, which gave me new ideas for design concepts. I had always dreamed of the city of love and lights I was finally able to see the famous Mona Lisa, Eiffel Tower, and much more in Paris. I now completely understand why the Parisians eat so much bread. In order to climb all the stairs and hills in Paris, one needs to carb-up. I’m sure I dropped five pounds that week.

In Brussels there was less climbing, although there were a few sloped hills, but nothing major. With food consisting of pasta and world famous “Belgian Waffles” I’m sure I picked up the five pounds I dropped in Paris plus five more that second week. I gained knowledge of the European government when we visited the European Parliament in Brussels. I am fascinated how different countries, with so many different languages, set-up legislation for an entire continent. One thing I am concerned with is social problems. While in Brussels we visited an advocacy group for European designers. Their goal is to bring awareness of social issues through the use of the media and design.

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿Amsterdam, known for its flowers, was unlike any city I have ever visited. During the day it’s quiet and quite friendly with an abundance of canals and bicycles. During the evening, the city lights up; it’s more beautiful than I had ever imagined. During a visit to a flower market, I learned about the flower distribution in Europe. I found the idea of bidding on flowers pretty fascinating. I never gave thought to how much work goes into the flower business. There I met a documentary film director makes films to bring awareness of the social problems that are happening in Europe. Her media group does exactly the kind of thing that I want to do with my life. If was great to meet her and get an understanding of the industry.

This year I hope to bring my new found insight of the world and media to my writing for the blog.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Do you need a ride to Vol State? Would you like to find someone to help pay for
gas? This is the place for folks to meet and work out a deal. This is the
Vol State ride share board for Fall and Spring 2012-2013.

If you are
looking to share a ride simply post in the comments section below. As the
comments build up you may find someone going your way. One note of warning: The
college cannot go through and screen the various riders who post. You'll need to
be careful and do that yourself. Just because someone has posted here doesn't
mean they are safe. Ask plenty of questions before you agree to share a ride.
The comments take a few hours to be published, so don't worry if your comment doesn't come up immediately.

Are you interested in brushing up on your dental clinic
skills? Vol State is holding a Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Course on Saturday, September
15 from 9am to 2pm. Please respond by September 10th to reserve your seat. It
will be held on the Volunteer State Community College East Campus in the 400 bldg.,
room 113. The cost is $90 and payment will be collected on the day of the
course. You can make out a check or money order to: VSCC Dental Assistant
Education Program. If you have questions or would like to reserve a spot
contact: Desiree Sutphen, 615.230.3439, desiree.sutphen@volstate.edu orSuzanne Hesson at 615.230.3330, Suzanne.hesson@volstate.edu

Monday, August 6, 2012

Service Learning Club officers from Volunteer State
Community College traveled to Portland High School Thursday, August 2nd,
to distribute pamphlets at registration promoting the Sumner County Anti-Drug
Coalition’s ongoing campaign to eliminate the use of illegal drugs and alcohol
in Sumner County. The parent-targeted literature, Navigating
The Teen Years: A Parent’s Handbook For Raising Healthy Teens, states,
“The common thread among teens who do well academically and socially, and stay
healthy and drug free, is that they have close relationships with their
parents.” Sumner County Anti-Drug Coalition is a Pioneer Partner collaborating
with the Office of Career Placement, Cooperative Education, and Service Learning
at Volunteer State Community College. This community based collaborative
continues to promote a healthy community and offers students and community
members opportunities to engage in projects to that end. For more
information, please contact the Office of Career Placement, Cooperative
Education, and Service Learning at Volunteer State Community College: Phone
(615)230-3307 Website: www.volstate.edu/servicelearning
. If you would like to receive email updates regarding news and upcoming
events for the Sumner County Anti-Drug campaign, contact the Sumner Anti-Drug
Coalition. You can visit their website at http://www.sumnercountyantidrug.org/.

The students pictured are (from left
to right): Service Learning Club Vice President Avery Hovey, Station Camp High
School sophomore and future VSCC student Chelsey Curtis, and Service Learning
President Shala Curtis. Those who were in attendance but not pictured are
Service Learning Club Treasurer Johnny Watson and VSCC AmeriCorps VISTA Chelsea
Hawkins.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Welcome students! We have some important dates and information for you. Let's start off with some of the dates and deadlines. At the bottom of this entry you'll also find info about registering for classes, in case you haven't done so yet. Registration is open now and will stay open through the drop add period listed below.FALL TERM DATES
Full Term August 25 - December 14
Weekend College/College @ Home August 25 - December 14
10 Week September 4 - November 16
1st 5 Week August 25 - Sept. 28
2nd 5 Week Sept. 29 - November 7
1st 7 Week August 25 - October 12
2nd 7 Week October 18 - December 14
RODP August 25 - December 13
Hybrid August 25 - December 14
Online August 25 - December 14
RODP 7 Week August 25 - October 19

REGISTRATION DEADLINESSession Drop/Add
Full Term August 25- August 29
10 Week September 4 - September 5
1st 5 Week August 25 - August 28
2nd 5 Week Sept. 29 - October 2
1st 7 Week August 25 - August 28
2nd 7 Week October 18 - October 19
RODP August 25- August 29
RODP 7 Week Up to August 24

FEE PAYMENT DEADLINES:
If you register/add classes before August 15 – Fees are due by August 15
If you register/add classes after August 15 through late registration – Fees are due at time of Registration

REMEMBER – If fees are not paid by the due date, you will be dropped from your classes and you will have to re-register. Visit the Business Office website at www.volstate.edu/businessoffice
for additional information.

WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES
Last day to withdraw from college or drop a class

If you are a current student or have already applied to the college, been through orientation and seen an advisor, then it's time to register for fall classes. We want to make your registration process as smooth as possible. This information will help you properly navigate through our registration system. If the information doesn't address an issue you are having with your registration process, there are three offices that may be able to help you.

Get to the Pride Online registration system via the My Vol State portal (http://portal.volstate.edu).

Your Username is the first part of your Volstate email address, for example, if your email was jdoe47@volstate.edu your username would be jdoe47

The first time you login to the Portal, your username will be your 6 digit date of birth (for example, January 12, 1901 would be 011201)

Click the “Login” button to enter the system

If you have trouble logging in or get an error of some kind, please contact the Helpdesk at 615-230-3302.

Once you are logged in, click on the Pride Online tab to get started.

Finding Classes

Under the “Student Menu” heading, chose “Look Up Classes”

Type in the term for which you are trying to register or chose it from the drop down menu, click “submit”

You must select one or more subjects for the search engine to work, all other selection boxes are optional. If you would like to search for more than one subject, hold the control button down and click on each subject you would like to search. It should highlight each one.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

A reminder to all students: fees are due by August 15. If you don't pay your fees you will be dropped from the classes you have registered for. We don't want to do that....so please, take care of your account. For students who register afte

Vol State has more than 70 programs to choose from and sometimes that can be a bit daunting for students considering what to do in college. Here are just a couple of options for you to consider:

Early Childhood Education prepares students to teach young children. We have several ways you can take those classes. One option is the Early Childhood Fast Track program. It features what we call group learning. You take several classes with the same students. It builds not only friendships, but partners in your class that can help you along the way. There is one version that meets in the evening. The newest option starts this fall and meets during the day on the main campus:

The Dental Assistant program prepares students to work in a dental office. Students can earn a technical certificate in 12 months. Vol State has a complete dental lab set up for training. The application deadline for this program is open until August 10. For more information visit their web site: www.volstate.edu/DentalAssistant